done!

the haircut! finally, it's done! after yet another tear-filled tanglefest, the mommy decided that enough was enough. the hair had to be cut. so i got my sharpest scissors, put on a video for the goose, and started cutting. it actually went remarkably well and isa could've cared less. at one point she looked up and said, "hey! you're cutting my hair!" in her bossy little toddler voice and then went right back to watching her video. i cut about 3 inches off before it was done and it looks so much better! and the tangles are much easier to tame. so there you have it-- no more public meltdowns, no more hour long combing sessions, the first haircut went off without a hitch, and it even looks pretty darn cute, if i do say so myself.

sylvi smiles

Red Canyon winter

Not quite as pretty or expensive as this one, but here's a photo-stitched image of a Lander, Wyoming landmark (click on it for higher-res full screen image). This is the view of Red Canyon, on the way to South Pass. You get a good idea of how mild the winter has been as evidenced by how much grass, sage, and rock is showing. Usually this landscape is quite blanketed in the white stuff at this point in the winter. One of Isa's first hikes was along the red cliffs towards the right of the picture. Another Isa note, she tinkled outside for the first time ever not long after this shot was taken. I'm sure there will be many more...

we like barking

Isa and daddy had a busy weekend - including this trip to the Wyoming Stage Stop dog sled race. We saw the usual suspects there, including Morgan and Emmie who are daughters of one of my co-workers. Bennett Hutchison was also there to enjoy the barking. As serious as Isa's face looks, she had a blast! The weather was beautiful, and Isa made her first TV appearance, as Emmie was interviewed on the K2 TV network out of Casper. You don't see Isa (I don't think), but Bennett makes an appearance. Click on Feb 1 10pm news. I don't know how long this link will work, but if you can hang in there (or fast forward) for 9 minutes and 50 seconds, you can watch the piece. This is Isa's most regular annual recreational event so far, as it was her third trip (out of three chances) to see the dog sled races.

CPSIA delayed!

maybe you've already heard the good news, as it's all over the internets now, but that crazy CPSIA law has been given a one year 'stay' by the Consumer Product Safety Commission! wooohooooo! this is definite good news for so many people, myself included. you can read more of the specifics here, but this 'time out' will allow for the agency to review the law and make effective and practical changes for companies both big and small. hopefully the end result will mean safer products for our kids, and reasonable mandates that will also keep companies like Mountain Aven Baby in operation. a very sincere thank you to all of you who did your part to help!

lessons of toddlerhood

what have i learned in parenting a toddler? have two of everything. lest you just make it that much harder on yourself, your friends, your child, and their playmates. if there are two kids obsessed with wands and sparkles and costumes... well then you'd better have atleast two of each of them! this is the story behind alot of the recent crafting around here. isa and charlotte have been bitten by the dress up bug and being that they were born to crafty mothers, this meant there needed to be something handmade for them to dress up and play with. so a little brainstorming and sewing landed us with a whole trunk of capes and tutus and wands and all things sparkly. so this post is a failed attempt at photographing the first dress up party from isa's trunk. the pictures are a blur. and while that may not make for the best photos, it does say alot about the playdate. it was a blur of glitter and satin and more than one tantrum-- which leads me back to my lesson-- you'd better have two of everything.

she rolls!

guess who rolled over this afternoon, at the ripe old age of nine weeks? that'd be miss sylvi. we were having a little photo shoot, as i needed new pictures of the changing mats, and tada... she rolled over on me! it didn't seem to phase her much, though she did make it clear that she wanted to be back on her stomach post haste (sylvi's not one to hang out on her back for long). so it looks like we might have another active one on our hands here. just like her sister, she's on the move already!